USF law graduate, Marie Vincent, consults a group at a recent DACA Fair in the Fruitvale

Among the 108 bills that Governor Jerry Brown had to sign or veto by midnight September 30 was a short piece of legislation called Assembly Bill 2189. Although the bill does not include the word “immigrant,” it was the last step in a three-part process that held a remarkable outcome. In California, where the prospect of issuing drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants has been controversial for almost two decades, nearly half a million young immigrants will now be able to apply for a license.

Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, who co-wrote the bill, said the new legislation shows the state’s dedication to young people who have grown up in the United States but were brought into the country without proper documentation when they were small children.

“We felt like it was proper, given that there was willingness on the federal side, to just make a clear green light for all of these young people in the state of California.,” Skinner said.